When the Fort Frances Lakers hit the ice on Friday night at Ice For Kids Arena for their season opener, the roster will have a few distinct differences with new faces added and old faces missing.
One of the most notable absences fans will notice is SIJHL MVP, Goaltender of the Year and Rookie of the Year Brady Cates, who backstopped the Lakers to game seven of the of last year’s Bill Salonen Cup Finals. Cates was drafted into the North American Hockey League (NAHL) by the Springfield Jr. Blues.
The Lakers third overall point scorer Teagan Wrolstad has also taken his talents to a higher level, joining the Selkirk Steelers of the Manitoba Jr. Hockey League, while Judd Pesch has joined the Niverville Nighthawks in Manitoba. Ronnie Bender, who also scored 34 points for the Lakers last year, is pursuing opportunities in the U.S.A.
For Judson, losing players to higher levels is part of having a successful team.
“I mean, obviously, with all those guys, with the success they had in Fort Frances last year, if there ever came an opportunity to have them back in a Lakers uniform, we’d love to do that, but at the same time, it’s our job and our responsibility.” he said. “If we want to keep getting good players, we have to show that we’re willing to move guys on and put them in situations where they can challenge themselves to reach the highest level.”
Judson hopes to hear good things back about those players who have moved on.
“I think they’re all in good situations right now,” he said. “I think they all enjoyed their time in Fort Frances as well. And if there was ever an opportunity to get them back here, we’d certainly take a good look at that. But I mean at the same time, when you’re moving guys on and putting them in good situations, I think that’s that’s the reputation you want, and those guys are earning everything that’s being thrown their way, and we wish them all the best.”
As the Times has reported over the last few weeks, the Lakers have filled out their roster with a series of additions over the summer, bringing in a handful of players from Manitoba and the Maritimes.
One of the most recent additions is 20 year-old forward Isaac Arsenault, who joins the team from the West Kent Steamers of the Maritime Hockey League.
“He’s a P.E.I. boy. Obviously, we’ve been pretty happy with that with our connection out there now and the players we’ve brought in,” Judson said. “He’s a 20-year-old, has experience in a really good league in the Maritimes, it looks like he’s gonna be a horse for us. He works really hard. He hasn’t had quite the opportunity to play more of an offensive role, but I think he’ll be able to contribute in that way as well and be a leader for us with how he conducts himself.”
Ryder Kirk joins the Lakers from the MJHL, where he was a member of the Waywayseecappo Wolverines and crossed paths with another recent addition to the Lakers roster.
“I think he needs to be a player that plays in an offensive role,” Judson said of Kirk. “It looks like he’s got some skill that we can use. He was at practice today, fits in really well with some of the guys. I know he knows one of our other players well from his time in Wayway, Lyndon Gould. That was a good connection to bring them both in together. Jumping to Lyndon, he’s a player that we followed for a little bit during his time last year. He was on the move within the MJHL, and then obviously when he came available in Niverville this year, he was someone we wanted to take a run at, and thankfully– I know he had some options. Thankfully, he came to Fort Frances. He’s big, he’s physical, and if you look back at what he did in U18, there’s obviously a pretty significant offensive upside to what he could do.”
They have also added Noah Hudson who last played in Niverville of the MJHL.
“He had a really great preseason with them,” Judson said. “Obviously, a team like Niverville with their stature in junior hockey, they’re going to have a really good team, and wanted to make sure that he had an opportunity to play and develop. He brings a lot of size, he brings competitiveness, he defends well, and he’s going to fit in with a defensive group that was pretty stingy last year. He plays the right way; that he’ll fit in really well with what we do on defence.”
Rounding out the defensive side of the Lakers, the team has added goaltender Brady Shields to their ranks, a player who was in camp with the Steinbach Pistons.
“Brady had, again, an excellent preseason with Steinbach, in minor hockey he carried a big load with his team there. He’ll compete for games. We’re going to give him every opportunity to prove himself at the junior level,” Judson said. “Obviously, we’re used to having more than one goalie that can carry a load from what we did last year, and we’re hoping to have the same kind of rotation this year, where we can count on both guys to win us some hockey games.”
They will also be looking forward to seeing if Nolan Koethler can make a comeback from the freak tractor accident that held him out of last year’s SIJHL playoffs. Koethler was doing work on his family’s farm last year between the end of the regular season and the start of the second round of the playoffs when the tractor he was driving was hit by a truck.
“It looks like Nolan Koethler is going to be back in town this week,” Judson said. “I don’t know exactly what his timeline is for return, but we’re going to take our time with him. Make sure he’s physically and mentally ready to get back into game action. But to come as far as he has from his injury last year, I’m really proud of where he’s at and thankful that he’s able to play hockey again. If he can get back to where he was last year, obviously he’ll be a great asset for us as well.”
On Saturday many of the players already in town took the time to hang together off the ice and support their teammates Willy and Anthony Yerxa, who were playing with the Broken Horn Drum at the Couchiching First Nation Powwow.
“I’d argue that that stuff is just as important as the on ice stuff. We’re going to work them hard on the ice. We’re going to work them hard in the gym, but at the same time, we need to provide opportunities for these guys to get to know each other and care about each other,” Judson said. “I think that was a great opportunity to show Willy and Anthony Yerxa that we support them. We want to be there for them, and not only like that, but whatever else these kids are involved in, that we’re all a part of it now.”
Judson emphasized that the initiative to head to the powwow on Saturday was taken by the players.
“I think it should be noted that that wasn’t a coach’s arrangement. It was something that the players brought to us that they wanted to be a part of for Willy and Anthony, and I thought it was a great thing for them to want to be there for them and see what their lives and Couchiching were all about. I think it’s a great start to show showing their teammates that they care about them and we’re gonna keep doing events and team bonding things that can help solidify that.”
With the late additions, Judson says the team is rounding into form as other teams settle their rosters in higher leagues.
“As of a week ago, it was starting to get a little bit close to the season without a full roster,” Judson said. “But right now, we’re sitting at a full roster and a couple extras, so we’re happy with where we’re at. We’re happy with the guys we’ve got, these guys know as well, it’s our job to put the best team on the ice, and if there’s players out there that can help us, we’re gonna bring them in. So these guys know they have to earn it every single day and earn their spot in the lineup, earn their right to play, earn their spot on special teams and the power play and the penalty kill and play in important situations. So they’re competing hard. I mean, they’re already showing that they want to be here. They want to contribute, and I mean that’s all you can ask for as a coach. We’ll try and put the best guys on the ice that we can.”
The Lakers drop the puck on the 2026-27 season on Friday night at 7:15 p.m. at Ice For Kids Arena against the Thunder Bay North Stars. Tickets are available online in advance at fortfranceslakers.simpletix.ca.
